For the last few months, if not for the last year, I’ve seen very little of Artsakh. I was too busy working on trafficking issues in Armenia, thus a bit out of touch with life here.

Today I got my first indication that things here have changed.

My first indicator so far has been the price of food products in my neighborhood store. There has been a price increase on some goods. This would be a good indicator of progress, that is, if salaries were increased accordingly.

It seems that there is a bit of discontent (I’m not sure how much outside my neighborhood) in regards to the parliament election. The elections were free a fair as far as people could tell.

The problem people have is that the government’s people are controlling the parliament and after the beating of the ARF-D candidate Pavilk Manoukyan, it seems that some in government are feeling “good” and are not shy or in fear of showing how powerful they are.

After that beating, the president was asked who will be next? He answered that there will be no more beatings.

Now the question is, who will be disciplined and will the defense minister resign? If the defense minister is no relieved of his power, then we do have a problem.

It seem to me that I need to re-establish my presents in Artsakh, as potentially, this place which was very democratic compared to Armenia when I was here full-time, could slide back to the days we lived when Samuel Babayan was in power. At least I can say and do what needs to be, without getting beaten and then given a cup of water that a war coward who was promoted to general spit in.

Well I’m off to get my hair cut at Nershic’s barbershop. I’ll get a good idea of what the mood is like from there.